Stagemanager75, how did the audio file trigger the video?
Joe Dunfee
Stagemanager75, how did the audio file trigger the video?
Joe Dunfee
To capture a clean screen shot for some discussions, I decided to use two monitors to run DMXControl. My laptop screen became the main windows desktop, and an external monitor was the extended desktop. I did this to avoid the clutter of all my desktop icons in view behind all the DMXControl window.
When I did this I realized that when I am on a single screen, I would prefer for DMXControl to have a plan background that I can maximize so that it covers my desktop. Perhaps an alternative is for the graphical view to have a toggle to cause it to stay in the background.
One other issue. As various windows were opened, they always went to the screen with the desktop (on my laptop). After dragging them to the external screen that I had the main DMXControl window on, if I later closed that window and opened it again, it would open on the desktop of my laptop.
I think any new windows that open should open on the same window that has the control center.
Joe Dunfee
Philip may have found one issue. I was unaware that that window had to be open. I do not know what all the options in the "keyboarcontrol" window are. I just noticed that there are TWO windows by the same name. The window where you set the key-command options, and another where you enable the keyboard control. It might be best to have them combined into one window. Just have a button on it that expands or collapses the actual key-command settings. And if the keyboardcontrol window must be open for it to work, then a note on the windows should say that.
However, I still cannot get it to work. I have attached some screen grabs of my settings. That may show you what is going wrong.
Not having a full manual is a good way to see how intuitive a program is... and this one is not proving to be very intuitive. Actually, I don't expect a complex program like this to be highly intuitive. But, I am afraid you will end up typing an English manual eventually, just by answering my questions!
Joe Dunfee
Hoc,
I want to make sure I understand the DMXControl startet Program. I realize I need to start the PowerPoint first, but is it also able to send a "go to next slide" command to PowerPoint?
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Stefan,
I also have the Logitech Cordless Presenter 2,4 GHz. I now realize that it will not work for DMXControl, unless I remap the keys. However, I cannot figure out how to get DMXControl to advance to the next scene by using the keyboard. I am guessing, but your script for Autohotkeys seems to use the + and , keys to change scenes. But, without using AutoHotKeys, the + and , do nothing.
So, I imagine that you had use the keyboard control that is inside DMXControl to make + and , do something. All the keys are set to "disabled" by default. I tried to change some of them, but do not understand how the various options work. I tried the following settings to try to get the spacebar to cause the DMXControl to go to the next scene and backspace to go back a scene.
.Control........|.Module.....|.Device/function
.Key 'space'....|.Scene list.|.Next
.Key 'Backspace'|.Scene list.|.Previous
I tried it with the scene list closed, with the scene list open, and with the scene list open and the "play" button down. But, the only time there was an effect is if the "play" button is down, and I press the space bar... but that worked only because windows has the space bar serve the same as a mouse click when a button has focus. The backspace had no effect. So, I don't think my keyboard configuration efforts had any effect. What am I doing wrong?
What am I doing wrong?
Joe Dunfee
p.s. I tried to use spacing on the message editor with a Courier font to make them line up, but the spaces are not coming up as mono-space. So, I switched to ... to get them to line up. I guess the best thing would be to include a screen grab, but I can't figure out how to put the picture inline.
Hoc, you bring up a new question in my mind. I now realize that each scene will probably include 2 or more changes of lights. I would want these to change automatically. For example the scene with the Issac Newton marionette will be as follows;
I need each of the above steps to happen without me pressing any buttons. They will be timed to coordinate with the video and music.
I see than a cue list can have a duration setting to allow for stepping through sequences of light changes. Why might an effect be better choice?
Joe Dunfee
I want to use DMXControl to run both lights and PowerPoint. I will be performing on stage with marionettes, and will have a rear-screen projection system behind me. Each segment of the performance will require different lighting settings, have music, and play a short PowerPoint presentation that may have an animation or video embedded in it. Attached to this message is a drawing of the set-up.
In my pocket I will have a remote control. By pressing a button on the remote control I will trigger the "go" button to change to the next scene.
I realize there are various ways to accomplish my goal. One way is to have DMXControl the main program that triggers everything.
A different approach is to have PowerPoint to be the main program. It is capable of embedding a sound or video in a slide (I already know how to do this with PowerPoint). It is also possible to embed a MIDI file in a slide. So, if the MIDI file has the proper commands commands, it can trigger the next lighting scene in DMX control.
I was trying to avoid the above method, because I am unfamiliar with how to create a MIDI file that has the proper commands to trigger a lighting cue.
I have two questions;
As always, thank you very much for your efforts to help me understand how to use DMXControl.
Joe Dunfee
I know this has been discussed on the German forums, but my efforts to understand them using a translator have not been productive.
If my understanding is correct, the normal way a video or PowerPoint presentation is triggered is by running a 3rd party application called Mediacenter by Digital Enlightenment [www.digital-enlightenment.de] Normally, this program is run on a second computer and controlled over the network from the computer that is running DMXControl.
However, I (and I am sure others) would really prefer to only use one computer. Is this possible? Is it possible to avoid using Mediacenter, and instead use the existing video player that comes with windows(Wndows Media Player)?
Joe Dunfee
I finally figured it out on my own. When I use a translator to read the German Wiki, some words and the graphics don't translate, so it took a bit of trial and error to find the correct page.
I am going to assume you have already created an effect using the EFFECT TOOL window.
An effect is started, not by adding a new scene which saves all the DMX channel values, but by adding a "command".
The effect is now listed in the scene list, and will play in sequence with the other cues.
Joe Dunfee
I am learning on a simple setup. I have 4 lights on a dimmer pack. I have figured out how to save scenes, and have them played back in sequence. I have also figured out how to create an effect. For this example I have made two of the lights vary in brightness, to simulate the light from a fire.
I cannot think of how to include the "flickering fire" effect in a scene. How do this?
Thank You,
Joe Dunfee
Thank you for the quick reply.
I use http://babelfish.yahoo.com to translate, and it does a good job with German. It also allows me to follow links, and will translate those also. I would like to see the German language beginning tutorial.
Can you provide a link to the German tutorial?
Joe Dunfee